Travel To Pan-Tibet Regions With Pan-Tibet Travel

Preparation for your Pan-Tibet tour

1. What kind of documents should I have for visiting Pan-Tibet Region?
a. Basic documents: You should make ready of your passport which is valid for at least 6 months and Chinese visa which you can easily get from the Chinese Embassies or Consulates in your residential city.
Please see Chinese Embassies or Consulates abroad at website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the PRC: http://www.fmprc.gov.cn/eng/wjb/zwjg/2490/default.htm
b. Foreign tourists visiting Tibet Autonomous Region need Tibet permits besides the valid Chinese visa.
1). Tibet Entry Permit
Taiwanese and tourists holding foreign passports need to get Tibet entry permit issued by Tibet Tourism Bureau. --PTT can assist you to apply for the permit quickly and easily! You are requested to offer below documents 10 working days before travel for applying for travel permit:
* the copy of your passport page with photo and Chinese visa page, by fax at +86 28 85108251 clearly, or scan the documents and send to pttservice@gmail.com.
* Tell us your profession while offering the above documents.
Important notice: As the regulation of TTB (Tibet Tourism Bureau), foreign tourists are not allowed to travel Tibet as FIT (foreign independent traveler). You must choose a proper travel agency who can arrange hotel, licensed tour guide and licensed tourist vehicle for your tour to get your travel permit. Hope you can understand Tibet is a sensitive place on politics. Booking tour from PTT, we will arrange accommodation, guide and transportation for your Tibet tour as well as Tibet permit.
--When you apply for Chinese visa at your residential city, we suggest you do not tell you are traveling Tibet. If the officers know you are going to Tibet, you have to first get the Tibet permit and then they will issue you China visa. This is very complicated and takes a very long time. However, after you get the valid passport and Chinese visa, PTT can apply travel permit for you from Tibet Tourism Bureau very easily and quickly. So let us do in our professional way. Please also note that diplomat, journalist, governmental officers can not get travel permit from travel agency, instead, they need to apply for Tibet travel permit from Chinese foreign affair office.
--As the protocol between Nepal and China, travelers who enter Tibet from Nepal should apply for Chinese visa in Kathmandu Chinese consulate no matter you have already get a Chinese visa before or not. PTT will ask our partner travel agency in Kathmandu to issue the visa for you, with the visa invitation letter applied by us from Tibet Tourism Bureau. USD50 for visa and service fee will be charged accordingly, which you need to pay to our Nepalese travel partner directly. Please also offer us the above two documents 10 working days before travel.
--After issuing the permit, the original page of the permit or faxed permit will be sent to you at your hotel or your appointed place before you enter into Lhasa. The delivery fee may occur if airport or train station delivery is required.
2). Alien's Travel Permit
After issuing Tibet entry permit, we will apply for alien’s travel permit issued by Lhasa Public Security Bureau if you are going to unopened areas: Shannan (Lhoka), Shigatse, Nyinchi, Nagri regions. You do not need to offer any other documents besides the above two information for entry permit. As the regulation, the permit should be hold by your guide in Tibet, and after the tour, the permit should be returned back to travel agency for file.

2. Do I need double/multi-entry visa if I come to Tibet from China mainland and return China mainland after the trip?
No, because Tibet is a part of China, if enter Tibet from other cities in China mainland and after the trip in Tibet, get back to China mainland again, only a single entry visa is required.
For example: Beijing/Tibet/Shanghai, for this, a single entry visa is okay.

3. How to obtain a Visa to China in Hong Kong?
You may obtain your visa by yourself from the Visa Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, open from Monday to Friday.
Documents needed to obtain a Visa in Hong Kong:
a. One recent passport photo.
b. Passport which needs to be valid at least more than 3 months.
c. Usually you can get the visa within one working day. Cost 100HK$ or more.
d. Fast process is available when paying 150HK$.
e. Please call them before going to their office. Their Address:
Visa Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of The PRC:
Address: 5th Floor, Lower Block, 26 Harbour Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong.
Tel: +852-25851657 OR +852-25851680 OR +852-258517

4. What are high altitude sickness symptoms?
Usually, when the altitude is over 2,400m (8,000ft), one would experience high altitude symptoms. Mild symptoms may include: 1.Tiredness
2.Headache
3.Nausea
4.Unsteadiness
For most people, symptoms start after about six hours of being at high altitude. As long as the person remains at the same altitude, the symptoms will usually disappear within one or two days.
Vomiting, chest pains and shortness of breath are signs that someone is affected more severely. These symptoms may take a day or two to appear.
Coughing up frothy sputum is a sign that fluid is collecting in the lungs, while clumsiness and difficulty walking can occur if the brain swells. If severe cases of altitude sickness aren't treated, fits, confusion and coma may follow.

5.What’s the treatment for altitude sickness?

It's important not to ignore altitude sickness. If symptoms are mild, rest, fluids, a light diet and painkillers will enable the body to acclimatize. No further ascent should be attempted until all the symptoms have disappeared.
Descending to a lower altitude is often necessary when symptoms are more severe. If this fails to resolve symptoms, hospital treatment is needed. Any swelling of the brain will be treated with oxygen, rest and drugs.
Most people who are treated correctly for altitude sickness make a full recovery, usually within a few days. However, when the condition is more severe, treatment over a longer period may be necessary.
If you have a heart or lung condition, consult your physician before going to high altitude. He or she can tell you whether your condition will let your body adjust to the lower oxygen in the atmosphere.

6. What are suggested to be packed for our tour?
A. Gears: If you take the package tour to the touristy destinations, big cities, you don't need to provide the special equipment only the daily commodity required. Please see below a full gears list for regular tour or special tour to metropolis or Tibet, high altitude place.
--Sun block with the protection index of 60, sunglasses or dark glasses with a sun protection factor of 15, the lip creams and balms with SPF rating, towel, a pinch use toothpaste as a substitute, electric torch, rope, Swiss-style pocket knife map.
--When planning your clothes needs for your tour to Tibet, remember, your destination is at elevation of 3500m and your clothes must be warm enough and can be removed easy enough.
--Jacket: a fiber-pile jacket is ideal for evening.
--Sweater: Wool or wool mix with a high neck for extra warmth.
--Headwear: wool or fiber-pile ski-style cap or balaclava for warmth. A lightweight brimmed hat is good for sun protection .Inexpensive broad brimmed straw and felt hats are sold in Tibet's city markets.
--Scarf: wool or silk is best.
--Mittens or gloves: wool is best.
--Bandanna or handkerchief: Bring several.
--Cotton underwear: four or five pairs.
--Socks: at least three pairs.
--Shirts: A long-sleeve shirt made of wool, flannel, or chamois, or a track-suit top. A long-sleeve cotton shirt for warmer temperature is needed. Bring two or three T-shirts as well. Pants: For men, one pair of loose-fitting wool pants, wool knickers, or fiber-pile pants, and one pair of light-weight cotton pants. Women should wear a mid calf dress or skirt, though pants and knee-length knickers with socks are also acceptable. Shorts are not appropriate at any time in Tibet for men or women.
--Sporting shoes or comfortable walking shoes are highly recommended for all weather. Also, don't forget to bring along pile jackets, wool or wool mix sweaters with high neck, wool or silk scarf, mittens or groves, cotton underwear, long sleeve shirts and loose fitting pants. Journal, reading book, writing materials: For quiet moments.
--Camera: You will regret not bring one. Several batteries, film, memory card for digital camera.
--Binoculars: Good for observing birds, wildlife, and distant scenery. Money pouch or belt: Safer than a wallet for keeping your passport, money, and valuable papers.
--Pictures from home: Personal photographs of your children, pet, city, house, and so on are a great way to communicate with local people.
--Snack foods: Nuts, chocolate bars, granola bars, dried fruit, hard candies, beef jerky, and flavored drink.
--Sleeping bag: only guesthouse available for the tour to Mt. Everest or other remote places. You are suggested to take sleeping bag if you think you can not fall a sleep in the conditions not as sanitary as imagination.
--Adapter: China uses a 220volt 50Hz cycle system, so electric appliances from countries that use 220/240 will operate without any adapter. Appliances requiring 110 volts will need transformer to operate. We suggest you to prepare adapter by yourself. Chinese hotels cater for most plug types. However, the most common are the European-style two round pins, three-pronged Australian style angled pins, followed by three-pronged round pins, two-pronged flat pins.
--Small gifts: You will have chance to get to touch with local people traveling in Pan-Tibet regions, through family visit tour, or when you take a land tour, or many other ways. You are suggested to present some small gifts to local people in these tours. Gifts can be a pencil, a souvenir coins, T-shirt, etc, it may take nice memory for you with this experience.
B. Medicines: Try to bring the following medicines which will be very useful during your travel:
--Aspirin-for pain or fever.
--Antibiotics-consider including these if you are traveling well off the beaten track.
--Cold and flu tablets, throat lozenges and nasal decongestant.
--Multivitamins-consider for long trips, when dietary vitamin intake may be inadequate.
--Scissors, tweezers and thermometer.
One or two day’s acclimatization in Tibet, these symptoms in high altitude places will gradually lighten or disappear.
Anyone who suffers heart-attack, pulmonary disease, and hypertension is not suggested to enter high land.
C. Food preparation for Tibet travel: vegetables, fruits and fresh water are preferable to have when you just enter high altitude areas.
Sufficient water-drinking before activities in the morning, less but frequent water-drinking during activities, no smoking and alcohol drinking, no cold and dressed with sauce and raw meat eating are all requested. A few chocolates,
beef jerky, and other high calorie food are suggested to take.
(Condensation food, soda pop etc. are out of choice because they will definitely blow out when it is low press or oxygen)

7. What currency can I use in Pan-Tibet Regions?
China's legal tender is Renminbi (RMB). Foreign currencies can not be used directly in China, though some shops illegally accept foreign currencies.
Foreign currencies may be converted into RMB at all banks, bank branches or hotels at the exchange rate quoted on the foreign exchange marker on the day. And some amount of RMB cash are suggested to be prepared before coming to China, as cash consumption is more popular than credit card which maybe different from the situation in your country.

8. Is it easy to find an ATM in Pan-Tibet Regions?
You won't have any problems finding an ATM in capital cities or bigger towns in Pan-Tibet regions, state-owned banks open many branches there. However, only three state-owned banks have branches in Tibet Autonomous Region, they are Bank of China, China Construction Bank and China Agriculture Bank. There are fewer and fewer bank branches available as you are going to remote areas. Therefore you’d better prepare enough RMB cash when you are in Lhasa for your trip in Tibet.

9. What credit cards are accepted in Pan-Tibet Region?
Most of the internationally accepted credit cards are usable in China. They include: Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Diner's club, and the JCB card of Japan. Credit cards are accepted only in large shopping malls and stores. Credit card symbols are displayed in the visible place in shops and hotels indicating credit cards are accepted.

10. Which traveler's cheques are handled by the Bank of China?
Thomas Cook USD HKD DEM FRF CAD
AUD JPY CHF GBP
International Payment Co. USD GBP CAD
American Express Co. USD DEM FRF
Citibank USD
Nanyang Commercial Bank USD HKD
Swiss Bank CHF
Bank of Tokyo JPY
Mitsui Bank JPY
Sumitomo Bank JPY
Fuji Bank JPY

11. What should I consider for religions in Pan-Tibet Regions?
The Tibetans are among the easiest people to get along with in Asia. But still there are some cultural considerations you should better to pay attention to when you travel in Pan-Tibet regions.
--Do not photo them without permission!
--Always circumambulate monasteries and other religious objects clockwise, thus keeping shrines and chortens to your right.
--Don’t touch or remove anything on an altar.
--Don’t take photos during a prayer meeting. At other times always ask permission to take a photo, especially one using flash. The larger monasteries charge photography fees.
--Don’t wear shorts or short skirts in a monastery. Take your hat off when you go onto a chapel.
--Don’t smoke in a monastery.
--Do not eat dog, donkey and horse meat in Tibet.
--Be aware that Tibetans often gesture with their lips to show a direction, so please do not misunderstand as they are just showing you where to go.

12. Can I use my mobile phone in Pan-Tibet Region?
It depends on what model your mobile phone is. So if you have a dual band or tri band unlocked GSM phone, you can use it around China in most big cities. In China, GSM networks operated by China Mobile provide coverage in every major city, while CDMA networks run by China Unicom is improving its coverage.
In case your mobile phone doesn't work in China, you are necessary to rent an unlocked GSM cell phone such as Motorala, Nokia... in China. Then you just need a China prepaid SIM card as data solution. You can get more detailed info from China Cell Phone Rental at www.pandasim.com.

13. Can I buy GSM SIM card in Pan-Tibet Region?
Yes, in China, you can buy GSM SIM cards such as China prepaid SIM card, HongKong prepaid SIM card, and their recharge vouchers. They are easily got at some online store, for example, at www.pandasim.com. If you own or have rented an international unlocked GSM cell phones, you are supposed to buy China prepaid SIM card. Usually, no document is required for your purchase of a prepaid SIM card. When the amount of prepaid charge is run out before the indicated date, you just need to buy a recharge voucher to extend your additional airtime. Otherwise, there are still two other kinds of card for your choice: Shenzhouxing issued by China Mobile, Ruyitong issued by China Unicom.

14. What is the high season? What is the definition for the high season, shoulder season and low season?
High season refers to the part of a year when the weather conditions and other factors are the best for traveling and usually there are more people traveling in the high season, so it's always the busiest time for the hotels, airlines, and travel agencies. Thus the price of hotel, air tickets, etc. is comparatively higher than that in other seasons.
High season, shoulder season and low season is defined as:

High season: April 27 to May 8, June 15 to October 31
Shoulder season: May 9 to June 14, Nov 1 to Nov 15
Low season: Nov 16 to April 26

There are slight differences of definition of this between different hotels, airlines, travel agencies in different regions.
The peak travel season for Tibet is July, August and September; the travel fare is fairly high during this time.
Pan-Tibet Travel reserves the right to modify the definition of different seasons.
Note: If you plan to travel during the high season, we suggest that you make reservations two to three months prior to your departure date.

15. Can I easily get on the Internet in Pan-Tibet regions?
Generally speaking, rooms in most hotels above three star level in Pan-Tibet regions have free internet service or you could get on net in the business apartment of every hotel. At the same time, you could easily find internet bar along the street in Pan-Tibet regions.